Rajasekhar is making a come back with PSV Garuda Vega, in which he plays the role of a National Intelligence Agency officer.

Director Praveen Sattaru had visualised Garuda Vega as a new-age, racy action thriller. And he has translated his vision remarkably well, says Rajasekhar, the film’s subtle and measured NIA (National Intelligence Agency) officer. He talks about what is unique about the film, why Praveen Sattaru is a class apart, what made him accept the film, its high points, and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

You sound quite confident about PSV Garuda Vega

I had always wanted to do films like Bourne Identity, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon, in a way that would suit the Indian sensibilities. But no producer came forward with such an offer for years. I am lucky that Praveen Sattaru came up with Garuda Vega, and it has a gripping narration, rich visuals and an interesting screenplay which make it a unique film for Telugu audiences.

It’s rumoured to be a Rs 25 crore budget film. Do you feel that kind of lavish spend has been justified?

I see this as my comeback film. Praveen came to me with this script. He had called it Magadu 2, initially, but it was later rechristened PSV Garuda Vega. The estimated budget was Rs 7-8 Cr. When I wondered as to who will invest such a huge amount, my wife Jeevitha told me that this film has to be done. My father’s friend’s son was interested in making a movie. Initially, when my father told me about this, I thought he was saying it in order to console me during my bad days. But when we met Koteswar Raju (producer) in Chennai, we knew he was ready to do a film with us. The same film could have been made in Hyderabad and such places. But had it not been shot in Georgia, Malaysia among other places, it wouldn’t have got so much of grandeur. That’s why the budget is rational.

You have been all praise for Praveen Sattaru. What makes him a director to watch out for?

Praveen had come to us with a bound script. I have worked with the likes of highly popular filmmakers such as Muthyala Subbaiah, Raviraja Pinisetty and Kodi Ramakrishna. All of them would improvise on the scenes during the shoot. But Praveen never did it even once. The entire shoot was completed in 93 days. He had a clear vision, and he took care of everything related to the film. He even got involved in selling the film to distributors.

What makes this thriller different from other films?

It’s very realistic. Our director took this up after doing a thorough research. When we spoke to NIA officers, they told us that the kind of set-up we had created is very close to how it is in real life. Even their behaviour is similar to how I behave in the film.

So, how did you approach the role, you being known for your angry young man avatar?

My director didn’t want me to act the way I did in Ankusam. I play NIA officer in the film. And in such an officer’s life, finding suspects is a daily routine. So, he wouldn’t behave like the hero of Anuksam upon finding a suspect. My acting in PSV Garuda Vega is totally subtle and understated. You will see a new Rajasekhar.

What kind of physical exercises did your training for your role involve?

I underwent a physical training for this movie. It’s a James Bond-like movie where the hero has to do flight and parachute shots. I promised the director that I will be as energetic as I was in Prathighatana and Vande Mataram. But a month before the shoot was to start, I had chest pain. A stent was put in my left artery. I was asked to take complete rest for one month. But after just 10 days, I was ready to join the shoot.

How is the pre-release buzz? We heard that in the US, about 80-100 premieres have already been planned

I would have been happy if the teaser got even 1 million views. But in the first five days, it got 5 million views. It has so far got more than 7-8 million views. The trailer is a bigger hit. Yesterday when I met Chiranjeevi garu, he told me that he and his team at his office had watched the trailer and talked about it!

Are you ready to play negative roles?

Yes. Even if PSV Garuda Vega becomes a big hit, I will be ready. I was looking to do roles like the one played by Arvind Swami in Dhruva. I wanted to act with Chiranjeevi garu and Ram Charan. It’s always easy to play a villain. A hero has to cry beautifully. But a villain need not look handsome. He can do anything by making his face dirty and yet he will be liked.

You became very emotional at the film’s pre-release event. Did your mother’s death affect you so much?

I am feeling like a criminal. I am guilty of not being able to save my mother. My mother complained of pain in her stomach on the day when she died. I spent five minutes of crucial time thinking about whether I should give her the same tablet that I had given her the previous day. Had I administered her the same tablet on time, she might have been alive.